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Tuna Risotto

I am finally getting into the swing of planning meals ahead of time and making sure that when I run to the grocery store I have a list of ingredients for 4 or 5 meals. The first trip I took to Ralph’s (the L.A. version of Copp’s), I bought a couple of cans of tuna because it was on sale. And frankly, even if I didn’t use it for months, at least I wouldn’t have to pay full California price for it 🙂

So, while making my most recent shopping list, I figured I’d make tuna casserole. Then I thought, maybe I could look for something a little lighter, seeing as I’d have to eat an entire dish of cheese, cream soup and potato chips alone. (I don’t think a can of peas really negates that calorie pile.) So, I did some Googling. What did I find? Tuna risotta. SOOOO much lighter than tuna casserole 😉 My fancy, maybe slightly more healthy version of tuna casserole! But, the only things I needed to pick up would be some white wine and a lemon. Score.

I was home from work at 4:30 this afternoon, so I had the time to devote to risotto 🙂 And, it’s only in the low 60s here today (it rained most of the day), so it actually feels like fall! So I turned on my Pandora, poured a glass of wine, and enjoyed some time in the kitchen. For starters, here’s the link to the recipe. It’s fairly simple for risotto. Interestingly, there wasn’t any onion in it. I decided to just go with the flow and not add any. As I’m sitting here eating it, I don’t think it needs it but I think it would be a fine addition for any of you out there. I am a huge risotto fan, and I’ve got the basics down pat. I tend to make my own broth with bouillon cubes since it’s way cheaper than buying broth each time I need it. The flavor doesn’t seem to be affected at all.

So, I got my arborio rice nice and translucent, added 3/4 cup of my $3.99 Riesling (God bless Trader Joe’s) and went to work. On a side note, I have the BEST risotto pan ever! My new cookware set (ok, I got it for Christmas last year but never used it til I moved here) includes a 4 quart pan that is absolutely perfect for stuff like this.

Look at that beautiful pan!

After I finished adding the last of the broth, I threw in the lemon zest and juice (which was a nice touch! I may have to try adding this to other risotto recipes I’ve added along the way). And my favorite…the butter and Parmesan 🙂 I got a brick of aged Parmesan at Trader Joe’s this weekend. Honestly, I’ll use a bag of shredded parmesan if I have to but there is no good excuse not to use “fresh” stuff if it’s available. That’s my word of wisdom to you all! (Oh, and then you can eat the leftovers when you need a nice salty snack. After spending two weeks in the Med this summer, I’ve become addicted to a really good parmesan reggiano. Hurray antipasto!)

The finished product. The spinach would definitely add some nice color!

Also, there was no spinach in my dinner tonight…oops. I love the stuff, which explains why the large container I had on Saturday night was gone by yesterday thanks to some monster salads I’ve eaten lately. Oh well. I’ll definitely add some next time I make this recipe, I think it will be a nice touch.

The final verdict? This was delicious! Definitely perfect for a main dish. I’m sure peas would be a good substitute for the spinach, if you’d prefer that. And again, this was a pretty easy risotto recipe (some people make theirs so complicated), so it would be easy enough for a first-timer 🙂

I’ve got a draft saved in which I talk about some foody L.A. stuff. Maybe this weekend I can get that up. Enjoy the end of the work week people!